Science meets Parliament one of Tanya Monro’s most striking experiences

A working group brainstorms during Science meets Parliament in 2010

Professor Tanya Monro is the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia, and attended Science meets Parliament in 2010.

Professor Monro said the most memorable part of her time in Canberra was learning how to pitch her work in only 45 seconds.

“I still use these skills in my work today,” Professor Monroe said.

“Just two years ago I found myself in front of State Cabinet, and was given the unexpected chance to pitch to decision makers directly.

“Thanks to my experiences at Science meets Parliament, I used the five minutes to pitch succinctly and confidently, and was able to secure $7.5 million in funding to create South Australia’s Future Industries Accelerator.”

She said the event taught her the value of reaching out to leaders in government and scientific fields outside her own.

“I learned about the immense power of science when it is communicated well to the right people,” Professor Monro said.

She said letting go of nuance and subtleties was against the instincts of a STEM professional, but ultimately leads to better outcomes when reaching out beyond your own expertise.

“It was a formative part of my early career and a great chance to meet women and men working in places and fields I would never have encountered without Science meets Parliament.”

Professor Monro was also appointed a member of the Commonwealth Science Council in 2015 and to the CSIRO and Defence SA Boards in 2016.

This year, Science meets Parliament will be held 13-14 February. To keep connected, be sure to follow via Twitter and Facebook.